Safety is a foremost concern in the operation of personal motor vehicles. In particular, dark and wet conditions are some of the most hazardous conditions in which to operate vehicles, and a host of common vehicle features are geared particularly toward enhancing operation at night or in the rain. In particular, lights and windshield wipers, respectively, are the most common methods for combating these conditions.
One (1) problem with vehicle lights is that dark conditions in well-lit areas, vehicle headlights can be difficult to distinguish from surrounding lights. This problem is particular pronounced in foggy or rainy conditions where lights are impeded or reflected by the environment and can be difficult for oncoming vehicles to see. Windshield wipers are commonly utilized during these conditions, but this only provides better vision for the driver and not the oncoming vehicles.
Various attempts have been made to provide illuminated windshield wipers. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,937, issued in the name of Lan, describes a windshield wiper pressure increasing and warning aid which includes forwardly directed warning lights connected to the windshield wiper circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,190, issued in the name of Clement, describes an electro-luminescent strip attached to a wiper arm and powered by an automobile battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,100,499, issued in the name of Davila, Sr., describes a heated and lighted windshield wiper including an electrically conductive arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,353,961, issued in the name of Lin, describes a luminous body attached to a windshield wiper with a clamp and a base, for generating light when the wiper is turned on.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,723, issued in the name of Hwan, describes a decorative light including a press-in plate with an elongated opening adapted to attach to a windshield wiper or other location on a motor vehicle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices are not readily retrofitted to an existing vehicle. Also, many such devices do not provide a sufficient size or plurality of lights. Furthermore, many such devices are not modular or adjustable to accommodate a particular vehicle or a user's preferences. In addition, many such devices do not provide a range of aesthetic features. Moreover, many such devices are not selectively controllable during operation. Accordingly, there exists a need for illuminated windshield wipers without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.